The Potions Prodigy
by Story Please
Summary: Lucius Malfoy isn't one to make friends, but when his father gives him a very specific request, he finds himself sharing the company of a younger, surly Slytherin boy, one who may prove to be more use to the Dark Lord than anyone could imagine.


**The Potions Prodigy**

" _He_ wants to see the boy, Lucius," Abraxas Malfoy said loftily, wrinkling his nose as though he'd smelled something slightly off.

"Sir?" Lucius was always overly formal with his father. He didn't dare to look into the man's eyes most of the time, even though he was nearly of age.

"The Snape boy," Abraxas said tersely, drumming his fingers on the counter. "He possesses qualities that may aid our cause, much as I hate to admit it. Now, then, when you get back from the break, I expect you to invite him to the summer house for a couple of weeks. We have some...tests...in mind for him. The boy should be salivating for the chance to see what life is like for his betters. Now, then. I find myself growing tired. Run along now."

Lucius allowed himself to scowl once he reached his bedroom. Striding out onto the small balcony, which looked out onto the gardens, he leaned on the railing in a most ungentlemanly manner and groaned with frustration.

He didn't want to invite Snape, (a boy four years younger than he was and an introverted loser to boot), to stay with him. In fact, he'd been moments away from suggesting a formal dinner with the Black family, as Narcissa, whom he considered at least his age as far as maturity was concerned, would be there, and Lucius longed to take her on a romantic moonlit stroll in the hedge maze. He was hoping to get them both good and "lost" so that they might have more than a few furtive moments to enjoy one another's company in ways that were not proper in polite society.

But now, his plans were _ruined_.

Well, he would find some way to use it to his advantage. He was a Slytherin, after all.

* * *

Severus had nearly snuck out of the common room, when he heard his name being called.

"Oi, Snape! A word, please." Lucius Malfoy said from the fireplace, looking somewhat disheveled and exhausted. "How you wake up so bloody early, I'll never know."

"How may I help you, Malfoy? Miss Black has been improving quite a lot in our tutoring sessions. I believe she may very well ace the final exam in Potions this year." Severus Snape may have worn shabby robes and had a perpetual sour look on his face, but he knew how to address his betters. He had been tutoring third-year student Narcissa Black, who was dating the rich, popular, Slytherin Quidditch captain _and_ Head Boy. He knew that if Lucius Malfoy had decided to talk to him, that it must be important, otherwise, he would have tried to run. Many of the other Slytherins weren't altogether convinced that a half-blood was any better than a Muggle, and they weren't afraid to hurt him.

That is, if they could catch him. Severus was very good at slipping away and hiding from bullies out to harm him.

Lucius stood and turned to face Severus, a strange look somewhere between discomfort and irritation on his proud face.

"Do you have any summer plans?" Lucius asked, his eyes darting around as though looking for someone eavesdropping.

"Why do you ask?"

"I would like to extend a formal invitation for you to come and stay at the guest house on my family's summer estate. I am certain that you are intelligent enough to understand the reason for the invitation, yes?" Lucius licked his lips as though struggling to find the words. "I...would be very glad to have you as my personal guest."

Severus frowned, which seemed to surprise Lucius.

"I...would be honored, Malfoy," he said, after a long pause. He knew what Lucius was implying. Though he knew that the man he would meet would probably be unpleasant and cruel, he also knew that the man would not be the first unpleasant, cruel person he'd ever been forced to interact with. And, though the man would almost surely wish to exploit him, Severus knew that the only chance he had to improve his status would be through enough servitude to pay his way into the life he wanted.

"Please. Call me... _Lucius_." Lucius appeared to be chewing on a lemon as he said this, but Severus knew better than to protest.

"Thank you, Lucius," Severus replied, lowering his head with respect.

When he looked up, Lucius was making a shooing motion with his hand and Severus knew he was being dismissed. He had never felt such a strange combination of excitement and fear in his life.

* * *

Lucius stared at his pocketwatch and frowned. Severus was not late yet, but he didn't like standing around in the Muggle Underground station, even with a Notice Me Not charm on himself.

"I hope you haven't been waiting long!" Severus appeared, a drawstring bag on his shoulder, the kind used by Muggle sailors. Lucius only knew this because he'd spent some time bumming around the docks a couple of times while his father haggled over something called a yacht. It had been owned by a hag who was related to the Parkinson family, certified as wizard-built, and was covered with a set of charms that left it invisible to Muggle eyes. Lucius detested boats. No matter how many Anti-Nausea Charms were placed on them, he was always sick as a dog only minutes after setting sail. He supposed that made him a failure of a wizard in his father's eyes, but it wasn't anything new to him. No matter how perfect Lucius Malfoy aspired to be, his father would never be satisfied, not when there was always someone far more perfect out there to compare Lucius to with a disdainful sneer.

"No, actually. Trains are on time today, then?" Lucius looked at Severus, who was wearing some oversized work shirt and faded jeans that looked a bit too tight, and shook his head ever so slightly.

"I have my robes in my bag...I wanted them to stay as clean as possible." Severus glanced away, his expression embarrassed.

"This will not do," Lucius scoffed, his expression softening as Severus looked somewhat stricken. "You're a guest, so that means I will treat you as such. It's a good thing I brought my allowance with me today. Come on, then."

Lucius turned and began to walk, trying to look cool and aloof. He couldn't help but grin when he heard Severus following him with the urgent scraping of his old boots. It felt good to be in charge of someone after a whole fortnight of being bossed around by his father.

"Where are we going?" Severus asked.

"Why, _shopping_ , of course," Lucius replied, turning back momentarily and fixing the younger teen with an arched brow and a smirk.

* * *

Severus had been to Diagon Alley a number of times, but never like this. Lucius had taken him to a tiny boutique shop on a small side-street that Severus had never seen before. There, Lucius had paid a woman a disgusting amount of Wizarding coin for a fully tailored robe and cape set in dark gray with dark green satin trim.

"It suits you," Lucius said with a nod.

While the seamstress was altering the outfit, Lucius walked Severus over to the boot shop for a pair of proper wizarding boots, the kind with a pointed toe and slight heel that made the foot and leg look elegant. Though, Severus supposed his legs looked even longer than usual, he said nothing to Lucius, who'd insisted on watching Severus walk up and down the aisle to make sure the boots looked good as he walked and didn't pinch anywhere.

"Is your leg sore?" Lucius asked, as Severus sat down and unlaced the most recent pair of boots carefully.

Severus froze. He didn't want to tell the refined and wealthy wizard that his father had thrown a bottle at him out of nowhere the night before. The bone wasn't broken, but the bruise on his calf was still an ugly purple.

"I...I can manage," he said sheepishly.

"Nonsense!" Lucius said, setting the boots from the pile of discarded boots that had looked and felt the best. "Shopkeeper, please wrap these up. We must go to the apothecary."

The wizard did as he was asked and soon they were stepping out into the street.

"I'm fine, really," Severus said, feeling terribly self-conscious and somewhat bitter that the older boy had taken pity on him.

"I do not wish for you to look weak in any way when you meet... _him_."

Severus had heard many stories. He still had a number of questions, but he knew better than to ask. Instead, he nodded and followed Lucius into the apothecary.

"Choose what you need. I'm going to look over here." Lucius handed a couple Sickles to Severus and turned down an aisle that boasted a large display filled with love potions.

He didn't need to be told twice.

Severus quickly grabbed the supplies he needed and was wrapping the salve and bandages around the bruise on the bench in front of the shop when Lucius finally came out.

"Got it yesterday, did you?" Lucius remarked, looking at the ugly color.

"How did you know?" Severus asked.

Lucius looked around, as though expecting someone to jump out and point at him accusingly, before pulling up his sleeve and showing a fading bruise of his own.

"My father gets...short tempered in the evening. Especially when he's been at the firewhiskey."

Severus stared at the bruise and back at Lucius, who shrugged.

"I never knew. I'm sorry…" Severus trailed off, not sure what else to say.

"I've heard that you come from rough folks as well," Lucius said, not looking at Severus at all, "Mulciber mentioned that your back looks pretty bad."

Severus shrugged. "It's not exactly like I had much of a choice. Luckily, I don't have to look at it, myself."

Lucius shook his head and smirked ever so slightly. "You're one tough bloke, Severus. I mean it as a compliment."

Severus went still. This was the first time Lucius had ever called him by his first name, and it was also obvious that the older boy wasn't doing so due to decorum or Pure Blooded etiquette. Here, they were just two teen boys, sitting on a bench in the late afternoon sun.

"Thank you," Severus said, because he wasn't sure if there really was anything else he could say.

"They're going to introduce you to...him," Lucius said suddenly, without preamble, "but I want you to know that as far as everything goes, I'm the one responsible for you. Some of his other followers are... _uncouth_. If you need anything, just let me know. My dad can be a right git, but I'll do my best to make sure that you're never alone with anyone unless there's no other choice. Also, I've arranged for your guest room to be adjacent to mine and I convinced my house elves to link the toilet so that you can get into my room from yours as a last resort. If you ever feel unsafe, you are welcome to come speak with me. Just knock on the door to my room three times with a pause and then knock one final time so I'll know it's you. Also, I know it does not need to be said, but it's a good idea to ward your bed every night before you go to sleep. I do not think you'll need it, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

Severus looked at Lucius with a slight scowl as he processed all of the information. Not only was Lucius offering his protection, limited though it was, it was obvious that he was expecting Severus to encounter some issues with some of the Dark Lord's followers.

"I really appreciate all that you've done for me, Lucius," Severus said, shifting uncomfortably, "but I feel terrible about being unable to do much for you in return."

To his surprise, Lucius laughed loudly at this. "Do you have any idea how far you've changed Narcissa's opinion of me? She practically worships the ground I walk on for getting her such a high quality tutor who feeds her choice bits of information so subtly that she doesn't even realize it's being done. A couple of pieces of clothing is nothing compared to how happy she makes me feel!"

Severus smirked. "I didn't think either of you would notice, but I may have mentioned some things from time to time during our tutoring sessions."

"You really are a true Slytherin, Severus," Lucius said, shaking his head and holding back a laugh.

An owl dropped down from the sky, alighting on the back of the bench and startling the two teens. It dropped a small package between them and then looked expectantly at Lucius.

"Here you go, Henry," Lucius said, giving the owl a small piece of dried meat from a tin he produced from his inner pocket. "Henry is my father's owl, so I expect _this_ must be from my father."

He unwrapped the item and rolled his eyes.

"What is it?" Severus asked.

"It's a portkey, of course. My father has always been one to flaunt his wealth," Lucius groaned, holding up a dented tin cup. "Well, then, I imagine this one will be activating shortly. Grab your things together, then!"

Severus felt awkward with all of his bags on one arm and his finger touching the dented thing, but within moments, he felt himself being turned inside out as the portkey activated. The last thing he saw before everything went sickeningly black and uncomfortable was a twist of bittersweet affection upon the face of Lucius Malfoy.

He had a feeling that, whatever awaited him, he'd just made a powerful ally, one who, with any luck, he might even call a friend.


End file.
